I’ve just finished putting my girls to sleep, and tonight marks the night when we finished reading the Bromeliad (Truckers, Diggers, Wings) trilogy by Sir Terry Pratchett. For those who may not have come across these stories, they were written in 1989-1990, and follow the adventures of Masklin and Grimma, nomes who leave their muddy hole to find their place in the world. Bearing the Thing, a tiny, ancient computer, Masklin’s small tribe find the Store, full of nomes who don’t believe the Outside really exists – and that’s only the start of their problems.
My girls loved these books, and Pratchett crafted fun, engaging characters who really leap off the page. Obviously, they were a fan of Grimma, the first female nome to learn how to read, who becomes a driving force (pun very much intended) that eventually faces off against the humans who threaten nome kind. They also loved Granny Morkie, the cantankerous old nome who, in another universe, would have fit in well with the witches of Pratchett’s Discworld. For myself, I always loved the trio of Maskin, Angelo and Gurder, and the dialogue between these three in the final book of the trilogy had my girls literally breathless with laughter.
The plot of each book is straightforward, and the books themselves are set for a young age group, so are a relatively quick read. For me, these books are beautiful examples of a small, simple plot done well. There’s never any point where the story gets bogged down, or where the characters don’t know what their goals are, and yet there’s still plenty of twists and turns to keep young readers engaged.
The overall theme is that of growth and exploration, and you become invested in the tiny heroes, watching them move from one small world to a bigger, more dangerous setting, again and again, until the nomes who started in a hole become the most important figures in the world. For me though, the trilogy is a standout exploration of faith and science. While Sir Pratchett was an atheist, he handles the ongoing questions of the nome religion with grace and empathy. There’s no “gotcha” moments, no one side “winning” over the other, but rather the nomes get depth and development as they grapple with the questions of their place in the universe. He also leaves just enough doubt in the plot so that the story could be taken a number of ways, depending on your own point of view.
The only trouble I had with this book is that the 80s references are now a bit dated, and there were times I had to stop and explain various pieces of forgotten technology or culture – and try not to feel the wrinkles crawling across my face as I realise how old I am now…
Anyway, whether it’s for your own enjoyment or introducing the plot to a whole new generation, please give this timeless trilogy a look!
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